


we can love what harms us

by smallredboy



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Dogs, Dysfunctional Relationships, Established Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Fluff, M/M, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb, Post-Fall (Hannibal), past gaslighting & medical abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:00:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22575208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallredboy/pseuds/smallredboy
Summary: Will has an idea for a name for their new dog; Hannibal frets.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 5
Kudos: 59
Collections: Allbingo, Trope Bingo: Round Fourteen





	we can love what harms us

**Author's Note:**

> **trope bingo:** fluff  
>  **allbingo's valentines event:** love without limits
> 
> i love my headcanon of will making jokes about season 1/season 2 and how Bad all of it was so here we are.
> 
> enjoy!

"I think we should keep him," Will starts as he pets the huge dog next to him. It's clearly a mutt, as nondescript as a dog can be— long legs, thick fur, eyes staring up at Will as its tongue wags in and out of its mouth. 

"You miss having dogs?" Hannibal asks, settled next to him, a respectable distance between him and the dog. Will knows he's never been too fond of any animals (not even to eat them, indeed), so he's still a bit shocked he never complained that he smelled like dog.

"Yeah," he says. He hopes they've taken good care of his dogs, wherever they were given to, anyway. Maybe just a shelter — he can imagine people coming to adopt the dogs that belonged to Will Graham, one half of the  _ murder husbands. _ He used to find the name annoying, almost cheap and cheesy, but now he likes it a fair amount.

"Well, then I think we should keep him, too," he says. "Any ideas for names?"

Will stays silent for several seconds, going through various name ideas in his head. He's never been good with dog names, in his opinion, always going with the first thing that comes to mind. He should try to be better with that. Something meaningful, something perhaps that has to do with his relationship with Hannibal— Florence? No. He looks at Hannibal for a brief second, and he can't help but smile.

"Encephalitis," he suggests.

Hannibal's eyes widen, and he looks scandalized for a second. "Encephalitis?"

"Yes," Will nods, satisfied by his reaction. "Do you not like it?"

Hannibal is a little stiff as he looks at the dog. "I just do not like the reference to our early relationship," he says. "That is all."

"You say that like  _ you _ were the one gaslit and medically abused," Will says.

Hannibal grimaces. "I do not like to be reminded of how badly I hurt you, Will."

"Our entire relationship is based on you hurting me," he says, leaning in to kiss him. "It's not like I'm going to remember you gaslit me and I'm going to break up with you. I've made my decision to go through with you no matter what happens."

"You chose that with the cliff," he says.

Will hums. "I chose that with the cliff, indeed." He pauses. "Ence, for short, maybe?"

"Ence works," Hannibal nods. "These oblique references just make me a tad nervous."

"Again, Hannibal, I'm not going to break up with you over what you've done to me. I've decided I want you."

"No matter what," he says. He sounds almost nervous— Will hates how he finds it endearing.

"No matter what," he nods, leaning in to kiss him. "I've already killed with you. The fact you hurt me is unsurprising, at this point." He tilts his head. "And, after all… you were just curious what would happen, weren't you?"

"Ultimately, yes," Hannibal nods, cupping Will's cheek with his palm. "I was just curious to see how you'd respond to thinking you were psychotic."

"Well, my response was clear enough," he jokes lightly. "And you were also curious to see how I'd respond to getting framed for murder and no one believing me you were behind it." He pauses. "About that, did you ever like, make a statement about if you framed me or not?"

"No," he says. "I like the mystery of if you were telling the truth or not; I hear some people are starting to believe you in hindsight, though."

"Mm." He pets Encephalitis, rubbing its neck through its fur. "You did do a good job at it, though, I have to admit, Hannibal."

"Oh, I did an impeccable job at it."

Will laughs. "You did. Indeed you did."

It's a little surreal, to be able to laugh about what happened five years ago, about what Hannibal did to him, but he's learned to love him despite all of it. Perhaps  _ because _ of all of it. 

And it feels good, to love a monster, and for a monster to love him back.


End file.
